Art Journaling with StencilGirl® Stencils

Hello All, my name is Tracy Hickman, @anonymous.palette and I’m an art journaling junkie who has a mild addiction to stencils….  I’d like to share my step-by-step process on how I made the following journal spread, Bohemian Totem #3.  This is all about descending layers that are built up with stencils that pair well with each other; the combinations are endless!  It also highlights homemade washi tape that is a blast to make and I’ll give you a quick walk through below on how I made this as well. 

I work in altered books and used white gesso over the text.  When dried, I messily blended Annie Sloan Cream Chalk Paint with Paper Artsy Buff (darker at top) over the Gesso.  I placed Elegant Fence over the center of each page and daubed more Cream Chalk paint only down the center creating a subtle pattern to start the totem.  I next used Morocco Rug and sponged through Annie Sloan Paloma Chalk Paint down the center or each page showing the wider pattern at the top.  Over this I used Archival Ink in Coffee for a more transparent layer through Van Vorst. Next I crushed up some Ochre pastel into Hard Modeling Paste to color and used a palette knife to scrape through Quatre Rounds Background.

Now comes the homemade washi tape that I cut, edged in black archival ink and stuck down the center of each page in two spots.  Stencils used here: R & E, Boro, and Collage Textures and Patterns - Medieval Cyrillic.

I used a few stamps, Indigo Blue stitched circles over and under the washi tape and AB Studio “Be Creative Every Day” stamp set in the upper corners on either side and splattered some Dr. Ph. Martin’s Iridescent Yellow ink up toward the top.  The final steps consisted of using the edge of a clear embossing pad at the top of each page with Seth Apter’s Baked Texture Powder in Eclipse to anchor the circles to the top.  I then sponged clear embossing Ink through Decorative Flower Stamen Medallion and embossed Baked Texture Powder in Blizzard over the washi tape and black texture powder to marry all the elements together.  The last and final detail was the collaging of a French stamp to the bottom of the larger washi tape section and the embellishment of an ancient alchemy coin charm from Dry Gulch on top of that.  

I was inspired by Robyn McClendon who introduced me to Scor Tape, a double sided tape roll that comes in a bunch of widths and can be found on Amazon.  I used vintage journal pages but any paper would work as a substrate from dictionary or music pages to scrapbook or copy paper.  Cut several pieces of tape the length of your paper and peel off one side of the plastic backing.  Apply the adhesive side to the BACK of your paper NOT the side you want to stencil on, I left about an 1/8th inch space between my tape pieces.  Keep the plastic back on while stenciling and only remove when ready to use in your creations.  Use various StencilGirl® stencils with different mediums: Ink, Watercolor, Acrylic, Modeling Paste, Sprays, the options are endless!  When your layers are done and dried, cut out the tape and store for use. Stencils used: Decorative Flower Stamen Medallion and Soulful Scribbles Dots Dash.

These are some other journal pages I was inspired to create highlighting designs by StencilGirl® and all the stencils used in the pages are listed below the images. 

Stencils used for “Home”:  Soulful Scribbles Dots Dash and Blueprint.

Stencils used for “Remarks”:  Blueprint, Decorative Flower Stamen Medallion, and Pixels.

Stencil used for “Goodbye Summer”: Striped Mandala with Border.

(This one is so fabulous it needed to stand alone, and is a must have for gel printing.)

Hope you found some inspiration!

Tracy

@anonymous.palette